Float or ponton for carrying lines of pipes for



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- E.CHAQUETTE. OOOOOOOOOO TON FOR CARRYING LINES OF PIPES FOR DREDGING PPPPPPP s. N 357 367 Patented Feb. 8, 1887.

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E. GHAQUETTE.

FLOAT 0R PONTON FOR CARRYING LINES 0P PIPES FOR DREDGING PURPOSES.

No. 367,367., Patented'Feb. 8, 1887.

NJUERS, PhnwLilhu n her, Washington. QC,

, {No Model.) a Sheets-Sheet 3.

E. GHAQUETTE. FLOAT OR P'ONTON FOR GARRYI'NG LINES OF PIPES FOR DREDGING PURPOSES. .No. 357,367. Patented Feb. 8, 1887.

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. ported, so that the carrier or float may be To all whom it may concern:

Nrrnn EPHRAIEM GHAQUETTE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

FLOAT 0R PONTON FOR CARRYING LINES 0F PIPES FOR DREDGING PURPOSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 3573367, dated February a, 1887.

Application filed April 7, 1886. Serial No. 1951.127. no model.)

Be it known that l, EPHRAIEM OHAQUETTE, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Floats or Pontons for Carrying Lines of Pipes for Dredging-Machines and for other Purposes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to carriers or supports for lines of pipe for dredging-machines,to form a floating conduit from the machine to the shore to convey the dredged matter to the required point of discharge. The invention will, however, be useful for other purposes where a pipe-conduetor is to be carried from one point to another over a body of water.

The object of myinvention is to produce a buoyant support or carrier, which shall be capable of movement by wind or waves without affecting the pipe supported by it.

In floats orpontons as heretofore constructed and connected with the pipe it has been found that the work of dredging and discharging through a floating pipe cannot be prosecuted at times when winds or storms prevail, or in very rough Water, as the movements of the prevent its being broken and ruptured. My infloats or pontons not only render it impossible to convey the material through the pipe, but also render it necessary to disconnect the pipe from the pontons or floats, in order to vention overcomes this difficulty and enables me to use the floating pipe at all times and in any position, as the movements of the floats or pontons do not affect the pipe. To attain this end I employ a universal-j oint connection between the pipe and the portion of the carrier or float from which it is swung or suprocked and swayed by the wind or waves to any extent Without severing or endangering the connection to the pipe.

The peculiarity of my connection or manner of attaching the pipe to the carrier or float permits all varieties of movements in the carrier or float without affecting the connection to the pipe or the pi peitself as a longitudinal, a lateral, or a rocking motion, or a combination of all movements to which a carrier or float would be subjected when riding the waves and exposed to the. wind.

In constructing my carrier I prefer to make the floats either in the form of ahollow cylin' der with closed ends, or hollow sphere; water-tight and buoyant, or in the form of an open or double cylinder with hollow walls, the latter being two cylinders of different diameters, one placed inside of the other, the inner cylinderbeing open-ended, and the annular space between the two cylinders closed at the ends by an annular plate or ring. \Vith the hollow closed cylinders, or with the spheres, a supporting means for the pipe is placed upon or sustained between a pair of such floats, while with the double-walled cylinder the two cylinders of different diameters,placed one inside the other and the space between them closed at theends, the pipe will be placed inside the inner cylinder and suspended therein.

I make the floats either of wood or of sheet metal, or any other material practicable and convenient, and they may be made in one continuous piece, or in sections and joined to gether, as may be found most desirable; but my device for suspending the pipe upon or in floating carriers is not to be understood as being limited in its application to any particular form of float, as I may use any of the known forms of float or ponton with my connecting means, making the pipe independent of the carrier.

To render the invention still more complete and to defend against the possibility of fracturing the pipe or connections to the carrier, I may place the section-joints of the pipe at the point of connection with the carrier and unite them by a rubber or other flexible coupling, leaving a space between the ends of the sections to permit the pipe to bend at this point.

The accompanying drawings illustrate what I consider the best means for carrying my invention into practice.

Figure 1 is a plan view of dredger and pipe with-carriers of different patterns. Fig. 2 is an elevation of a wooden float. Fig. 3 is an elevation of a sheet metal ponton or float. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of a carrier having spherical floats, showing the universal -joint connection, some of the parts being in section. Fig. 5 is a view showing the double-cylinder form of float and means for swinging the pipe therein. Fig. 5 is a central longitudinal section of Fig. 5. Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional View of cylindrical floats and universal-joint connection. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of same. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the cylindrical floats with universaljoint connection. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are on a larger scale than the other views.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where they occur.

A is a cylindrical or spherical float or p011 ton, and may be formed of sheet metal, wood, or any other material practicable and suitable for the purpose.

The cylindrical form shown in Fig. 3 is constructed of sheet metal, and its'ends are closed by the heads a a.

The form shown in Fig. 2 is constructed of wood, a number of staves or long straight segments, either flat or curved in cross-section, united by hoops a a and closed at the ends by heads a a. The joints and seams of the cylinders are made practically water-tight, to produce a light buoyant structure.

The spherical form of float shown in Figs. 1 and 4. is made in any suitable manner, as by making two hemispheres and uniting them by screw-threads or by a band; or the sphere may be produced in any other manner.

Two of these floats or pontons, of any of the above-described constructions, are united in any suitable manner, as by cross-bars ta at the ends, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6, and held at a proper distance apart. Upon them is placed a bridge, B, which is united to the floats by hanging staples or clamps b, or in any other convenient or suitable manner. On the bridge is bolted or otherwise secured an arch or bracket, 0, which forms a support for the pipeband or hanging sleeve D. The arch or bracket is provided with a strengthening-rib, c. The band.or sleeve D surrounds the pipe and swings clear of the bridge. It has a broadened or extended portion, d, underneath, a circumferential strengthening-rib, d, and a ball, 01*, 011 top, as shown. The ball d rests and works in a socket, 0*, formed by provid ing a suitable opening in the arch or bracket 0, as shown.

E is the conducting-pipe resting in the sleeve or band D, and preferably secured thereto. I prefer to make this pipe of sheet metal, and to have the joints in it coincide with bands or sleeves. The coupling 6 between the sections of pipe is flexible, being formed of rubber or other yielding material. The ends of the sections are held a short distance apart, and the space between them is covered by the flexible coupling, thus giving liberty to the pipe to bend at this point.

With the ball-andsocket construction, as shown at d 0*, the connection between the band or hanging sleeve and the arch or bracket is a universal-joint connection, and, as will be perceived, permits the carriers to move in any direction, to roll or rock, without disturbing the pipe. I am enabled, therefore, to use the carrier and floating pipe in rough water,in high winds, and, in fact, under all conditions, the pipe being unaffected by and independent of the floats or pontons.

It is evident that any form of connection which will give the universal-joint effect can be substituted for the ball-and-socket form; but as this form is the simplest and cheapest in construction and easiest and best in operation it will be found to be the preferable one for use.

Instead of having a pair of floats or pontons to form each carrier, Imay employ the double-cylinder form shown in Fig. 5. This form of carrier consists of two cylinders, A and A", of different diameters, one being placed inside of the other and having the annular space between them closed at their ends by an annular-shaped plate or ring, a. The inner cylinder is left open at both ends and the pipe E passed through it and suspended therein by a bail, as G, which permits it to have the same movements as a universal joint. One such bail is placed on each end of the carrier or float.

Chains connect the several carriers, as shown in Fig. 8.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-- 1. The combination, with a float or carrier, of a band, sleeve, or bail for supporting or suspending a pipe, swung upon or attached to the float or carrier, so as to permit movement of the float or carrier without disturbing the pipe, asset forth.

2. The combination, with a float or carrier, of a band or sleeve for suspending a pipe, and a universal-joint connection between said band or sleeve and the carrier or float, sub stantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a float or carrier and an arch or bracket, of a sleeve or band for suspending a pipe, and a universal-joint connection between said band or sleeve and arch or bracket, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with a pair of floats or pontons and an arch or connecting-piece, of a sleeve or band forsuspending the pipe, and a universal-joint connection between said band or sleeve and arch or connecting-piece, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with a pair of floats or pontons, a bridge for connecting said parts, and an arch or bracket, of a band or sleeve for suspending the pipe,and a universal-joint connection between said band or sleeve and said arch or bracket, as set forth.

6. The combination of a float or floats of cylindrical, spherical, or other rounded form, a band or sleeve for suspending the pipe, and

IIS

' band or sleeve and the float or floats, as set a universal joint connection between said Intestinionywhereof Iaffix mysignature in IO presence of two witnesses.

forth.

7. The combination, with a buoyant car- EPHRAIEM OHAQUE'ITE. rier, a band or sleeve, and a universal-joint connection between said parts,of a conveying- Witnesses: pipe supported by said band or sleeve and I I. N. KALB, having a flexible joint located and operating GEO. M. FINCKEL. o

as described. 

